Card feeder

ABSTRACT

A card feeder has the following elements. A card hopper is disposed on a base to store cards. A conveying unit is disposed on the base. A friction element is disposed on the base and located in a path passed by the cards, and is capable of providing friction force to the cards so as to separate the cards.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the priority benefit of Taiwan application serial no. 102132016, filed on Sep. 5, 2013. The entirety of the above-mentioned patent application is hereby incorporated by reference herein and made a part of this specification.

FIELD

The invention relates to a card feeder, more particularly, to a card feeder applicable to a card printer.

BACKGROUND

A card printer is an electronic device capable of printing patterns on cards. In recent years, the card printer has been broadly applied to personal identification documents, such as an employee ID card and so forth. Similar to a paper feeder equipped by a paper printer, the card printer is also equipped with a card feeder for supplying the cards to a printing area. In actual practice, an entire stack of cards is usually being placed into a card hopper of the card feeder, and via a feeding mechanism of the card feeder, one card at a time is outputted to the printing area.

However, in the process of production, the cards in the entire stack of cards are not easily to be separate from each other due to static electricity or furry edges. In addition, according to usage requirements, the cards also have a variety of thickness specification. Therefore, the design of the card feeder has to consider the factors of the cards being difficult to be separated from each other and different in thicknesses, so as to ensure that the cards can be supplied normally.

US Patents relating to the card feeder are U.S. Pat. No. 6,536,758, U.S. Pat. No. 6,932,527 and U.S. Pat. No. 7,331,576.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a card feeder for storing a plurality of cards and outputting one card at a time.

The invention provides a card feeder for storing a plurality of card and outputting one card at a time. The card feeder includes the following elements. A card hopper is disposed on a base to store the stacked cards, and has an exit. A conveying unit is disposed on the base to push the cards toward the exit. A friction element disposed on the base and located on a path passed by the cards, and is capable of providing friction force to the cards so as to separate the cards.

According to the above, the invention uses the conveying unit to push the cards into motion, and uses the friction element to provide the friction force to the cards so as to separate the cards.

It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary, and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the invention, and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification. The drawings illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a card feeder according to an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional view of the card feeder of FIG. 1 along line

FIG. 3A is a perspective view illustrating some components of the card feeder of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3B is a top view of the some components of the card feeder of FIG. 3A.

FIG. 4 is a partial cross-sectional view illustrating a card feeder according to another embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 5 is a partial cross-sectional view illustrating a card feeder according to still another embodiment of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a card feeder according to an embodiment of the invention, and FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional view of the card feeder of FIG. 1 along line I-I. Referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, a card feeder 100 of the present embodiment is applicable to a card printer for storing a plurality of cards C (as shown in FIG. 2) and outputting one card C at a time to a printing area of the card printer. The card feeder 100 includes a base 110 and a card hopper 120. The base 110 may include a pair of side portions and a top portion located above the side portions, and the pair of the side portions are respectively located at the two (left and right) sides of the top portion. The card hopper 120 is disposed on the top portion of the base 110, and the card hopper 120 substantially appears to be in a hollow rectangular cube-shape and is configured to store the stacked cards C. A bottom edge of the card hopper 120 has an exit 122 to output the cards C.

FIG. 3A is a perspective view illustrating some components of the card feeder of FIG. 1, and FIG. 3B is a top view of the some components of the card feeder of FIG. 3A. Referring to FIG. 2, FIG. 3A and FIG. 3B, the card feeder 100 further includes a conveying unit 130, the conveying unit 130 is disposed within the base 110 to push the cards C toward the exit 122. The conveying unit 130 may include a pair of supports 131. The supports 131 are pivoted along an axis A to the base 110. The conveying unit 130 may further include a rotating shaft 132, and the rotating shaft 132 is axially disposed along the axis A to the base 110 and is fixedly disposed to the supports 131, so that the supports 131 may be pivoted along the axis A to the base 110 through the rotating shaft 132 and rotate along with the rotating shaft 132. The conveying unit 130 may further include a transmission mechanism 133, and the transmission mechanism 133 is disposed on the base 110 and the support 131. The transmission mechanism 133 may include a plurality of gears 133 a and 133 b that are sequentially and mutually engaged, wherein the gear 133 a is pivoted on the base 110, the gears 133 b are pivoted on the support 131, and the gears 133 b pivoted on the support 131 can swing around the axis A and along with the support 131. In addition, the conveying unit 130 may further include a driving shaft 134, and the driving shaft 134 is axially disposed on the base 110 and coupled to the transmission mechanism 133. Specifically, the gear 133 a of the transmission mechanism 133 is axially and fixedly disposed to the driving shaft 134. Therefore, when the driving shaft 134 is in rotation, the gear 133 a is also being driven into rotation, thereby driving the gears 133 b pivoted on the support 131 in to rotation.

Referring to FIG. 1, FIG. 2, FIG. 3A and FIG. 3B, the conveying unit 130 may further include a power module 135, and the power module 135 is disposed at a side of the base 110 and coupled to the driving shaft 134. In the present embodiment, the power module 135 includes a power source 135 a (such as a motor) and a deceleration mechanism 135 b, and the deceleration mechanism 135 b is coupled between the driving shaft 134 and the power source 135 a for reducing a rotational speed outputted by the power source 135 a. In the present embodiment, the deceleration mechanism 135 b is a deceleration gear set, which uses a difference in gear ratios to convert a high-speed rotation of low torque outputted by the power source 135 a into a low-speed rotation of high torque, and thereby output to the driving shaft 134.

Referring to FIG. 2, FIG. 3A and FIG. 3B again, the conveying unit 130 further includes a first feed roller 136 a axially and fixedly disposed at the driving shaft 134, the first feed roller 136 a is pivoted on the base 110 via the driving shaft 134, and the first feed roller 136 a is coupled to the power module 135 and can be driven by the power module 135 into rotation, so that the cards C move toward the exit 122. Specifically, since the driving shaft 134 is axially disposed on the base 110 and coupled to the deceleration mechanism 135 b and the transmission mechanism 133, the torque generated by the power source 135 a is transmitted to the driving shaft 134 through the deceleration mechanism 135 b, and thus the driving shaft 134 can drive the first feed roller 136 a and the gear 133 a of the transmission mechanism 133 into rotation. In the present embodiment, the first feed roller 136 a may have a rubber surface for increasing friction force to the cards C.

Referring to FIG. 2, FIG. 3A and FIG. 3B, the card feeder 100 further includes a second feed roller 136 b, and the second feed roller 136 b is pivoted on the supports 131 and coupled to the transmission mechanism 133, and can be driven by the transmission mechanism 133 to enable the cards C to move toward the exit 122. Specifically, the gears 133 b of the transmission mechanism 133 and the second feed roller 136 b are all pivoted on the supports 131, and the second feed roller 136 b is further fixedly disposed to the gears 133 b. Therefore, the torque generated by the power module 135 is transmitted to the driving shaft 134 through the deceleration mechanism 135 b, so that the driving shaft 134 can drive the gears 133 a, and thereby drive the gears 133 b pivoted on the support 131 to jointly drive the second feed roller 136 b into rotation. In the present embodiment, the second feed roller 136 b may have a rubber surface for increasing friction force to the cards C.

In addition, the card feeder 100 further includes a friction element 140, and the friction element 140 is disposed on the base 110 and located on the path passed by the cards C, and is capable of providing friction force to the cards C so as to separate the cards C. In the present embodiment, the friction element 140 is an elastic pad, a fixed end of the friction element 140 is fixed to the base 110, and a free end of the friction element 140 is located on the path passed by the cards C. The friction element 140 is located in front the outside of the exit 122 and is capable of contacting the cards that passed through the exit 122, and the exit 122 is located between the second feed roller 136 b and the friction element 140, so that when the second feed roller 136 b drives the cards C to move toward the exit 122, the friction element 140 may provide the friction force to the cards C to separate the cards C. However, FIG. 4 is a partial cross-sectional view illustrating a card feeder according to another embodiment of the invention. Referring to FIG. 4, in a card feeder 100 a of another embodiment, a friction element 140 a may be a pinch roller, as shown in the embodiment illustrated by FIG. 4, and the friction element 140 a is pivoted on the base 110 and located on the path passed by the cards C for providing friction force to the cards C so as to separate the cards C.

In addition, the conveying unit 130 may further include an elastomer 137 (such as a coil spring), and the elastomer 137 is disposed at the support 131 and pivoted between the gears 133 b of the support 131 for providing friction force, so that the gears 133 a rotating along the axis A can drive the supports 131 to rotate along the axis A, thereby enabling the second feed roller 136 b to push the cards C toward the friction element 140. In the present embodiment, the support 131 has a rod portion 131 a, and the elastomer 137 sleeves the rod portion 131 a so that the elastomer 137 is able to provide the friction force to the gear 133 b contacted by thereof in relative to the support 131.

It is worth noting that, the first feed roller 136 a provides a constant driving force to the cards C, the second feed roller 136 b provides a compensation driving force to the cards C, and a sum of the driving forces is greater than a separation force provided by the friction element 140, so as to ensure that the cards C can be outputted, smoothly. In addition, by driving the support 131 to rotate along the axis A so as to enable the second feed roller 136 b to push the cards C toward the friction element 140, when supplying the cards C of different thicknesses, the second feed roller 136 b can provide an automatic compensation of normal force in relative to the friction element 140 to the cards C.

Referring to FIG. 2 again, in the present embodiment, only one gear 133 a is pivoted on the base 110. However, in other non-illustrated embodiments, a plurality of gears 133 a that are sequentially and mutually engaged may also be pivoted on the base 110 for transmitting the torque generated by the power source 135 a to the gears 133 a that are coupled to the first feed roller 136 a and the second feed roller 136 b through the sequentially and mutually engaged gears 133 a that are pivoted on the base 110, so as to drive the first feed roller 136 a and the second feed roller 136 b into rotation.

FIG. 5 is a partial cross-sectional view illustrating a card feeder according to still another embodiment of the invention. Referring to FIG. 5, different from the embodiment illustrated by FIG. 2, a card feeder 100 b of the embodiment illustrated by FIG. 5 has an elastomer 150 (such as a spring), and the elastomer 150 is disposed between the base 110 and the conveying unit 130, so that the conveying unit 130 applies pressure on the cards C towards the friction element 140. Specifically, the elastomer 150 can push the supports 131 of the conveying unit 130 in relative to the base 110, so that the second feed roller 136 b pivoted on the supports 131 can apply pressure to the cards c toward the friction element 140. Under this circumstance, the configuration of the elastomer 137 in the embodiment illustrated by FIG. 2 and FIG. 3A may be replace.

In summary, the invention uses the conveying unit to push the cards into motion, and uses the friction element to provide the friction force to the cards so as to separate the cards. In addition, the invention may uses the transmission mechanism, the first feed roller and the second feed roller to convert the torque generated by a single power source into the driving force of the cards. Moreover, according to the difference in the thickness of the cards, the invention may further provide the automatic compensation of the normal force to the cards via the support, the transmission mechanism, the second feed roller, the elastomer, and the same power source, so as to ensure that the cards of different thicknesses can all be separated by the friction element successfully.

It will be apparent to those skills in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to the structure of the present invention without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. In view of the foregoing, it is intended that the present invention cover modifications and variations of this invention provided they fall within the scope of the following claims and their equivalents. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A card feeder for storing a plurality of cards and outputting one card at a time, the card feeder comprising: a base; a card hopper disposed on the base to store the stacked cards, and having an exit; a conveying unit disposed on the base to push the cards toward the exit; and a friction element disposed on the base and located in a path passed by the card, and being capable of providing friction force to the cards so as to separate the cards.
 2. The card feeder as recited in claim 1, wherein the conveying unit comprises: a support pivoted, along an axis, to the base; a transmission mechanism disposed on the base and the support; a power module coupled to the transmission mechanism so as to drive the transmission mechanism; a first feed roller pivoted on the base, and coupled to the power module through the transmission mechanism so as to be driven by the power module into rotation, so that the cards move toward the exit; and a second feed roller pivoted on the support, and coupled to the power module through the transmission mechanism so as to be driven by the power module into rotation, so that the cards move toward the exit, and the exit is located between the second feed roller and the friction element.
 3. The card feeder as recited in claim 2, wherein the transmission mechanism includes a plurality of gears, the gears are sequentially and mutually engaged, and the gears comprises at least one gear pivoted on the base and at least one gear pivoted on the support.
 4. The card feeder as recited in claim 3 further comprising: a rotating shaft axially disposed, along the axis, to the base, the support and the gear rotating along the axis, and fixedly connected to the gear rotating along the axis.
 5. The card feeder as recited in claim 3, wherein the conveying unit further comprises: a driving shaft axially disposed on the base and coupled to the power module and the transmission mechanism.
 6. The card feeder as recited in claim 3, wherein the conveying unit further comprises: an elastomer disposed between the support and the gear pivoted on the support so as to provide the friction force, so that the gear rotating along the axis is able to drive the support to rotate along the axis, thereby enabling the second feed roller to apply pressure on the cards towards the friction element.
 7. The card feeder as recited in claim 2, wherein the power module further comprises: a power source; a deceleration mechanism coupled between the power source and the transmission mechanism, wherein torque generated by the power source is transmitted, sequentially through the deceleration mechanism and the driving shaft, to the transmission mechanism.
 8. The card feeder as recited in claim 3 further comprising: an elastomer disposed between the base and the conveying unit, so as to enable the conveying unit to apply pressure on the cards towards the friction element. 